[UPDATE] Activists, lawmakers demand explanation for Saleem appearance

Immigration advocates and state lawmakers are raising questions about an alleged former terrorist who testified before the House Commerce Committee and spoke at a rally Tuesday on the steps of the Capitol.

Kamal Saleem, whose real name is Khodor Shami, testified before the committee about legislation which would require state contractors as well as temporary employment agencies to use the federal E-Verify program to check the immigration status of new hires. The legislation was introduced by Republican lawmaker Dave Agema of Grandville.

“It is completely inappropriate that a man who claims to have committed terrorism was invited by a member of the House to testify before an official committee,” said Rep. Rashid Tlaib (D-Detroit). “If Mr. Saleem has committed the acts of violence he claims, he should be prosecuted under US and international law. An explanation is certainly in order.”

Saleem claims to be an expert on illegal immigration because, he says, he entered the country illegally to create terror cells and arrange attacks on Americans. He further alleged on Tuesday during his speech from the steps of the Capitol that he had smuggled weapons into the country through Windsor and Detroit.

But a Michigan Messenger investigation revealed that Saleem’s story is considered unlikely by at least one Middle East expert, history professor Douglas Howard of Calvin College in Grand Rapids.

“I am deeply offended that someone who claims to have committed acts of terror against Israeli civilians should be invited to testify before us as some kind of expert,” said Rep. Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills). “It is outrageous that such heinous deeds or claims would prompt an invitation to address our committee. Either he has killed civilians and should be prosecuted or he is masquerading as a killer to line his own pockets. Both possibilities dishonor the memory of those who have been victims of terror in the Middle East and at home.”

“State Representative Agema has simply gone too far this time. To invite a supposed ‘ex-terrorist’ to address the House of Representatives legitimizes the claims of someone who is either a killer of innocents or a fraud,” said Ryan Bates, executive director of the Alliance for Immigrant Rights and Reform Michigan. “This man makes his living peddling racist propaganda against Muslims and immigrants and should not be presented as an expert on anything. Now we come to find out that Representative Agema has used our tax dollars to help fund a Capitol rally for this extremists’ views? Michiganders deserve an apology and a refund.”

Calls seeking comment about Saleem’s claims were not returned by Commerce Committe Chair Rep.Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City) and Minority Vice Chair Rep. Jon Switalski.

Agema says that he is not responsible for Saleem’s appearances Tuesday.

“It’s not my rally,” Agema said. “The only involvement I had was my office paid for half of the costs for the sound system.”

Agema’s acknowledgement that taxpayer dollars were used in part to fund Saleem’s speech led Bates to pounce.

“We’re laying off teachers, police, and firefighters. We’re raising taxes on senior citizens and cutting off aid to needy families and the unemployed. Spending our tax dollars to promote the views of a supposed terrorist on the steps of the Capitol at this time is beyond the pale,” said Bates. “I encourage Representative Agema’s colleagues in the House to consider censure. We need to make it clear that wasting public funds on a supposed terrorist is unacceptable.”

Ari Adler, spokesperson for Speaker of the House Jase Bolger, did not respond to an email inquiry about Bates’ call for censure of Agema.

The controversial nature of Saleem and his message is not the only thing raising eyebrows and concern at the Capitol.

“The man I am about to introduce has $25 million bounty on his head by the Muslim Brotherhood,” Agema announced Tuesday from the steps of the Capitol.

That was news to Steve Benkovsky, director of the Legislative Council Facilities Agency. That agency oversees Capitol tours and prepares the building for rallies and protests.

“When [Agema] announced that I went over and asked the state troopers and they were kind of surprised,” Benkovsky said.

While not all speakers are known in advance by Capitol authorities, Benkovsky said, they do like to know when someone such as Saleem comes to the Capitol to speak so they can up security protocols. Last week, when Pastor Terry Jones the Quran-burning minister from Florida spoke at the Capitol there was a heavy security presence, including hand searches of all bags entering the Capitol lawn area. That was done because Jones has received death threats from around the world for his Quran-burning stunt.

Benkovsy acknowledged that had someone decided to take aim at Saleem, it would not have been a good scene. At the same time the rally was happening, the Michigan Pharmacists Association was hosting a picnic on the southeast lawn of the Capitol. Gov. Rick Snyder also has offices in the Capitol building, directly above the steps where Saleem spoke.

Geralyn Lasher, spokesperson for Snyder, declined to say whether Snyder was in his office during the rally or if there were concerns about his safety as a result of Saleem’s appearance. Instead, she issued the following statement: “The safety and security of the Governor is handled by the Executive Protection Unit of the Michigan State Police. Governor Snyder is confident in their abilities and leaves these matters to them.”

Agema dismissed concerns about safety noting that Saleem’s appearance was not known in advance.

“We didn’t know he was going to speak until the last minute,” Agema said. “And he had his own security there.”

UPDATE: Agema says that his office was involved in setting up the sound system and that no tax payer dollars were used for the rally. He tells Messenger that he wrote a personal check for $40 to cover the cost a banner at the event and to pay the cost of electricity.